A big part of science communication and scientific documentary filmmaking is, for us, helping people to engage and get excited about issues in science. When it came to making a half-hour documentary on any scientific topic, the Conservation Canines programme immediately jumped out at us as an ideal subject for a film. Not only have the Conservation Canines group pioneered an ingenious method for collecting and analysing research samples, but they also attract a lot of attention for their unusual research and help people get interested in science.